old cloth; old rags
Refers to worn-out or leftover pieces of fabric, often used for cleaning or patching.
My grandmother made a dust cloth out of old rags.
この古切れはまだ使える。
This old cloth can still be used.
Compound of 古 (old) and 切れ (piece, cut-off). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the word has been used to refer to old pieces of cloth.